One of the earliest known civilizations in Mesoamerica is that of the Olmec. The mysterious collapse of the Olmec civilization has left historians puzzled for years. Mesoamerica is well-known for being one of the regions where the domestication of agriculture occurred independently. In the aftermath of the development of agriculture, polities and kingdoms gradually arose …
The Plague of Justinian was a terrible event in the mid-6th century CE, the death toll of which is among the highest in world history. In actuality the Plague of Justinian was a particularly severe outbreak of the bubonic plague. The outbreak in the 6th century lasted for nearly 200 years before ending, and is …
The first and second centuries of the common era featured a time of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire that were unparalleled in the history of the known world. It was during this period that the reign of the “Five Good Emperors” of Rome occurred. The era is commonly referred to as the “Pax …
At the turn of the 20th century a major war broke out between a European power and a rising Asian power in the Far East. The question of who won the Russo-Japanese war would be settled in a decisive manner. The dynamic behind the Russo-Japanese war and its beginnings are multi-faceted. The Japanese were an …
Upon the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, the European powers became quickly engulfed in an all-out war now known as World War I. Germany had prepared for this scenario years in advance, though the failure of the Schlieffen Plan led to a long drawn out conflict. Nearly every country nowadays will plan for …
World War I was a terrible, deadly war, the outcome of which threw the world into a chaos that would culminate in a second world war nearly two decades later. The terms of the two major treaties ending the war, and in particular the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, are greatly to blame for this. The Treaty …
The Pyrrhic War was a series of battles fought between King Pyrrhus of Epirus and the Romans from 280 BCE – 275 BCE. This war is the origin of the phrase “pyrrhic victory.” A pyrrhic victory is a victory that is so devastating that in some ways it can be seen as a defeat. This …
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1850 marked the beginning of a civil war in China unmatched in terms of death and destruction by any other internal conflict in history. The causes of this civil war, called the Taiping Rebellion, were numerous. The conflict arose between the ruling Qing Dynasty and a fanatical group called the Taiping Tianguo. While there have …
The Vikings were a legendary culture that left their mark all over the world. Their collective history generally dates back to the late 8th century and lasts until the late 11th century, which includes the Vikings expansion throughout Europe and the Americas. Just why did the Vikings eventually leave North America? The Vikings have been …
In 1494 the kingdoms of Portugal and Castile (later Spain) came to an agreement over territorial disputes. This landmark agreement was called the Treaty of Tordesillas and proved to be of utmost significance over the following centuries. In the mid 15th century Europe was flush with trade networks especially for the lucrative spice and silk …
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The Irish Potato Famine, or the “Great Famine” as historians call it, was a terribly deadly event in the mid 19th century. It was one of the last major famines in Western European history and perhaps most surprisingly happened next door to the world’s dominant power of the time. The famine was brought upon by …
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The timeline and history of Spain and the Iberian Peninsula is home to a vast and diverse array of civilizations and cultures. Dozens of different societies brought their influence to the region over the last few millennia. The peninsula is located in southwestern Europe and home to the modern day countries of Spain and Portugal. …
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